Wormwood, Seeding
Latin Name: Artemisia absinthum
Family: Compositae
Description
Next to rue, this is one of the most bitter herbs known. Its medicinal properties have been known for hundreds of years and wormwood was said to be an antidote for hemlock poisoning. When cooked with marjoram and thyme and applied before bed on "St. Luke's Day", it was thought to reveal one's true love in a dream. The plant should be collected while flowering in the months of July and August.
Ailments / Situations Where Used
Wormwood is a very strong bitter that stimulates and invigorates the entire digestive tract. It increases the flow of bile and aids the liver in its detoxification process. Wormwood is used in poor appetite, convalescence, indigestion, gas, jaundice, hepatitis, high or low blood sugar levels, aches and pains, and gastritis. This plant helps the body deal with infections and fevers and also has immune-enhancing properties.
Wormwood
As the name suggests, wormwood is a very popular remedy for worms, especially against roundworm and pinworm. It destroys any parasites (likely due to the bitter taste) and then drives them away. When combined with black walnut hulls, it is all the more powerful. Wormwood was traditionally given before a journey to ward off travel sickness and is given to elderly people to promote stomach acid production. Wormwood is very useful in the garden as a natural pesticide when used liberally on plants. The plant's mere presence in the garden is very useful in keeping it pest free. A related species, Artemisia annua, contains the compound artemisinin that works by destroying membranes of parasites causing starvation and eventually death. This species has been shown clinically to have very high cure rates on tertian malaria and subtertian malaria (cerebral). It is currently being investigated as a possible treatment for drug resistant malaria, and is used as a substitute for cloroquine to prevent malaria when travelling overseas. (Adapted from Michael Tierra's Way of Herbs, 1990.)
Source
Aerial portions of plant.
Preparations
Infusion: Pour 1 cup warm water over 1/2 to 1 tsp. herb, cover, and let sit 10 minutes. Take three times daily before meals.
Tincture: Take 20 to 30 drops tincture 3 times daily.
Contraindications / Precautions / Warnings
Avoid in pregnancy.
Do not use in hypertension or heart failure.
Not advisable to take large doses.
Wormwood's properties deteriorate when applied to heat for long periods.
Ailment / Situation Listing
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